Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Sunday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 21st December 2025
Last updated
Sat 20th Dec 25 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A blustery, gusty morning in northern England and Scotland, gales for a time in northwest Scotland, tending to ease. Patchy rain from central Scotland down the spine of the Pennines eases into drizzle over the high tops, drizzle in east Wales too with extensive hill fog in these areas. Best of breaks west Wales and NW Highlands.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Windy, gradually easing; patchy rain and hill fog, most east
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 30-40mph from dawn, risk some stronger gusts west Cairngorms/Drumochter early. Soon starting to ease with an easterly shift, 20-25mph by dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
In the morning, blustery with sudden gusts running downslope and reversals in direction; expect considerable buffeting, stability challenges, and wind chill, then conditions improving with time.
How Wet?
Patchy rain and summit snow, most east
Patches of rain/summit snow feed in from the southeast. Dry periods will occur, a greater risk of lingering drizzle over the tops later in the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Upper slopes likely shrouded all day with the lowest bases Deeside, down to middle or lower slopes. Highest bases west of Strathspey, 700-900m, may clear some northern Monadhliath summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some glimpses of weak sun around Strathspey for a time, trending widely overcast. Visibility good at times, but poor in any rain or snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C from dawn, rising to 2 or 3C. Feeling closer to -10C in the wind.
Freezing Level
1000-1100m from dawn, gradually lifting, above the high tops by dusk.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 22nd December 2025
Last updated
Sat 20th Dec 25 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 30 to 40mph; gusty over the tops and downslope, strongest may reach 45mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly arduous conditions for several hours, sudden and strong gusts will challenge balance. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle becoming patchy
Rain widespread from dawn, gradually passing away to the northwest; driest near Moray Firth. Further patches of rain and drizzle follow into Deeside/east Cairngorms.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest bases in east.
Extensive low cloud will cover the hills throughout much of the day. Down to lowest slopes across eastern and southern areas. Highest bases near the Moray Firth.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast. Visibility poor due to early rain and an increasing haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3C, but feeling closer to -10C where exposed to the strongest winds.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 23rd December 2025
Last updated
Sat 20th Dec 25 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 10-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small.
How Wet?
Patchy rain
Patches of light rain here and there, risk more frequent in the far east. Some mountains may stay substantially dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Shrouding the tops, lowest bases south
Likely shrouding the high Cairngorms most of the day, cloud most extensive on southern slopes/Drumochter area, particularly early; some fog into glens. Northern Cairngorms may be well-exposed early, though patchy cloud builds here too as rain comes and goes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some glimpses of weak sun north of the Cairngorm plateau. Visibility limited by rain and haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 or 4C
Freezing Level
Above the summits, may lower to just graze the highest Cairngorms summits around dusk.
Planning Outlook
Cloud and patchy rain lingers for a few more days early next week, then a slow change to drier and chiller weather into the Christmas period as high pressure builds to the north. Easterly winds will be dominant, the strongest winds in England and Wales. Cloud may be fairly sheet-like in the east sometimes, though variably more extensive or broken. The coldest air will reach England and Wales on the easterly wind with freezing levels reaching as low as 400-600m in Wales, staying slightly warmer in northern Scotland with freezing levels nearer the high summits for a time under the core of high pressure.